The Lamb has had a long and chequered history. Most recently, local residents Chris and Emma Smith with partner Nick Gross bought and subsequently re-opened The Lamb in March 2009. The Lamb had been Chris and Emma's beloved local until it closed in February 2009, while Nick has previously worked for the Marco Pierre White Restaurants Group, and was involved in the opening and running of some of London's top restaurants. He also set up The Clerkenwell Dining Room and the Devonshire House gastro‐pub in Chiswick, which is now owned by Gordon Ramsay Holdings. The current team is complimented by popular Head Chef James Martignone, manager Keiron Butcher, and many other friendly faces dedicated to making The Lamb experience one to be savoured.
It became a Free House in 2005 after being sold by former Henley brewer Brakspears, who bought the pub in 1896. It was subsequently re-opened by TV chef Antony Worrall Thompson in 2006.
Potted History (with thanks to local historian Angela Spencer-Harper)
This pub was formed from a pair of cottages, built 1520.
In the years 1753 to 1773, between 8 and 10 publicans were shown for the Parish of Rotherfield Greys in the Binfield Hundred, but none of these entries had public house names and it is not possible to identify the pubs.
1774 appears to be the year that publicans had to give sureties of £10 each to the Justices, in guarantee of good conduct in their pubs, as these had become such dens of vice and bad behaviour, where 'even the constables were afraid to risk their persons'. From 1774 to 1822 the amount of £10 for surety never changed.
1804 William Treadwell and John Tanner - Surety £10
Owners: Greys Brewery Ltd, Sec: W H Harrison. Licensed to sell Beer.
31.8.1882 - 9.11.1882: Wm Jacobs
9.11.1882 - 30.11.1883: Edward Aldridge
8.11.1883 - 2.9.1886: George Webb
1891: Oliver Nash licensed to sell Ale
25.8.1892 - 20.8.1896: Oliver Nash licensed to sell Beer. Owners: Holmes & Seward.
1896: Owned by Brakspear's Brewery of Henley on Thames, the freehold was bought by them from Grey's Brewery of Henley in 1896. The pub at that time included a shop.
Tenants:
1896 - O Nash
1900 - J (James) Yeatman and Mrs Elizabeth Yeatman
11.2.1904 James Yeatman
8.4.1915 - 7.2.1918: Elizabeth Yeatman (during WWI, presumably her husband had to go into the Army)
7.2.1918 - Albert Leader licensed to sell Beer.
6.2.1919 - 16.2.1924: George Whitfield licensed to sell Beer
4.5.1922 - Charles G Simmonds licensed to sell Beer
5.2.1925: Charles G Simmonds licensed to sell Beer
1.12.1927 - 1.2.1934: Arthur Baldwin licensed to sell Beer
7.2.1935 - 4.2.1937: Arthur Baldwin licensed to sell Beer
4.2.1937 - 1.2.1940: Samuel Walter de Voil licensed to sell Beer. Owners: Brakspears.
1937 - S W de Voil licensed to sell Beer. Owners: Brakspears. (Quarter Sessions Records at the CRO, Oxford)
7.2.1940 - Samuel Walter de Voil licensed to sell Beer. Owners: Brakspears.
6.9.1945 - George Henry William de Voil licensed to sell beer. Owners: Brakspears.
5.9.1946 - Phyllis Grace de Voil licensed to sell beer. Owners: Brakspears.
6.2.1947 - Phyllis Grace de Voil licensed to sell beer. Owners: Brakspears.
1950 - Licence for wine
14.2.1961 - 13.2.1962: Full licence
Gaming permit granted for two machines in Public Bar c. 1970.
1974 - H J Illing
During the tenancy of Mr H J Illing, the bricks with which the 'open' fireplace had been blocked up were removed and this revealed a series of four fireplaces, each built in front of the other. At the base of the fourth one Mr Illing found a pair of duelling pistols. He gave these to someone to get them repaired but they were never returned to him!
Mrs Beryl Illing wrote to me in 1996 stating: "We took over The Lamb in February 1974. Between then and July my husband (Larry) was totally convinced there was an inglenook fireplace behind the blocked up wall. The oak beam was still in place. Until then there was only a small stove, which stood against the blank wall. Larry decided to excavate and found that there were four fireplaces in situ, all reducing in size until we found the ultimate inglenook. Larry also found some bones (either a cat or a rabbit), buried within the rubble. Consequently we had a magnificent log fire and it was well received.'
It wasn't long afterwards a few incidents started to happen.
1. I opened the door of the stairs and went up two of the steps to put on the light, and on so doing, facing me was a ghost. He had on an old cardigan with buttons down the front. He had a well proportioned paunch.'
2. During one night I awoke about 3.00 am and 'something' rose from the end of the bed and disappeared. It didn't scare me.
3. Early one evening, after we had opened the pub, there was half a dozen customers in the bar and all of a sudden there was a noise above the bar, in our bedroom, as if furniture was being dragged over a wooden floor (we had fitted carpet). All the customers heard this and all offered to investigate with Larry. There was nothing disturbed.
4. My husband was in bed, nursing a bad attack of 'flu' one Saturday afternoon. My son and I were downstairs watching TV. We didn't disturb Larry until I took him a cup of tea about 5.30 pm. I asked him if he'd had a good sleep and he said "I would have done if someone hadn't come along the landing and disturbed me!" I assured him that it wasn't us.
We can only conclude that, by dismantling the fireplaces, we had obviously disturbed our friend, whom we named 'George'.
Names of tenants since the Illings are not known, until:
1987 : B L Wells
1990 : A G Stephens
1992/3 : Alan Stephens & Linda Myatt
1993: Sue & Terry Kearney.
1997: Terry Smith. In January 1997 there was an extensive fire that almost gutted The Lamb.
August 1997: Brian Choat and Maxine Smith.
1998: Bob Horrocks, with partner Anthea and chef Carlos.
Later in 1998, Finn and Bodil
2001 - John and Sue Kelly.
2001 - Brian and Jeanette Baker.
2004 - Glen & Debbie Walker
2004 - Amanda Hussey
New owner - March 2006: Antony Worrall Thompson, the TV Chef
New owner - March 2009: Chris & Emma Smith and Nick Gross
